DENVER – The University of Denver women's basketball team kept up with Wichita State for three and a half quarters before the Shockers went on a 20-7 run in the final 6:56 to pull away from the Pioneers 76-61 on Monday night at Hamilton Gymnasium.
Inside The Box Score:
Wichita State controlled the glass, holding a 47-25 advantage, turning 23 offensive rebounds into 26 second chance points. The Shockers also held a 48-24 advantage in the paint.
The Pioneers made a season-high nine three-pointers, shooting 9-for-25 from beyond the arc.
Meghan Boyd had three triples, and
Indeya Sanders, Tess Santos and
Anna Jackson all had two.
Uju Ezeudu led the Pioneers with 16 points to go with four rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. Santos had 12 points and three assists, and Jackson rounded out Denver's double-figure scorers with 10, complemented by three boards and three assists.
Makayla Minett had six points, six rebounds, two assists and four blocks in 18 minutes off the bench for Denver.
Wichita State had five players in double figures, led by 17 from Trajata Colbert.
First Quarter:
After missing its first 12 shots in Friday's home-opening win, Denver came out on fire to start Monday night's contest, opening the game on a 14-6 run, shooting 5-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Wichita State responded later in the quarter with a 6-0 run to eventually even the score back up at 16-16.
Sanders and Jackson led the Pioneers with six apiece and Minett chipped in four in the opening 10 minutes.
Second Quarter:
Wichita State had the first notable run of the second quarter, a 6-0 spurt in the middle of the quarter to break an 18-18 deadlock. Santos played all 10 minutes of the second for the Pios and had four points. Denver had four other players with a bucket in the stanza.
Following the Shockers run, the teams traded buckets the rest of the quarter, and Wichita State took a five-point lead into the locker rooms.
Third Quarter
Ezeudu was held to just two points in the first half, but came out aggressive to start the second 20 minutes, scoring 10 of Denver's 20 points in the third. Ezeudu finished the quarter 6-for-6 from the foul line.
Wichita State had a 9-0 run after the Pioneers used a 6-0 run to tie the score back up. Santos hit a big triple at the end of the quarter to cut the Shockers lead from nine to six.
Fourth Quarter:
After hitting the three with less than a second to play in the third, Santos hit another three on the first possession of the fourth, taking the lead from nine to three without Wichita State touching the basketball.
Denver got the lead down to two, but a three-point play for Colbert started a 7-0 run to extend the Shockers lead back to nine.
Boyd had six of her nine in the fourth quarter, connecting on two of her four three-point attempts in the final 10 minutes.
Notes:
- Jackson was in double figures (10) for the second time this year, marking the 13th time in her career.
- Sanders contributed on defense with 3 charges drawn
- Ezeudu stretched her double-figures point-streak to five, and it was the 37th double figures day of her career
- Santos finished in double digits for the 16th time in her career.
- First game on a Monday under head coach Doshia Woods
- Minett tied her career-high with four blocked shots (1/11/20 vs. Norfolk State).
What's Next:
The Pioneers will play the middle game of their five-game homestand on Thursday at 7 p.m. MT when Denver welcomes Colorado State to Hamilton Gymnasium. Thursday's game will be streamed live on Pioneer All-Access.
DENVER TICKET OFFICE:
For women's basketball ticket information, click here
CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION:
For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
DONATE:
Fans interested in making a donation to the Pioneers Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here.
Your gift will transform the lives of our student-athletes by giving them the first-class resources needed to excel in the classroom, in the classroom and beyond. Thank you for Building Pioneers for Life!
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of Denver's NCAA Division I sports.-
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Basketball on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Whoops on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @du_whoops on Instagram
